The Delta's Daughter Chapter 253

MORGAN

Sometime in the middle of the day, I woke up with a throbbing head. I lifted my hand to feel where the thudding pain was coming from, feeling a good-sized knot on the back of my head.

Man, whatever they hit me with did a real number. My next thought went to my brother, and I began panicking. I didn’t know what the outcome of the fight was. Was Finn, okay? What about Ria and Xander? I remember seeing, hearing, and feeling the explosions as well as hearing several screams.

I was alone in the room and climbed out of bed to go look for someone. I wasn’t even sure where I was but had deduced that I was in some sort of infirmary. I couldn’t have been that injured because I was still in the same clothes.

I open the door to find a hallway that ran left and right. Instincts had me turning right and I swiftly began to move down the long corridor. “Morgan!” I turned on my heel quickly at the sound of my brother’s voice.

“Finn!” I yelled, the very sight of him alleviating my panic. And throwing myself into his arms.

Once assured I had given him a tight enough hug, I lean back and start to examine his body “What did they do to you?” I sob seeing the raised burn marks on his skin in the pattern of the net he had been trapped under.

“Nothing that won’t heal” He assured me, pulling me into his warmth again.

“Who were they, what happened? Why did they attack us?” I fire off question after question. “How did we get here?”

“Slow down little sis,” He urges me, but all I can think of is the attack and how I was useless to help them.

“Are Ria and Xander okay?” I dare ask hoping the answer isn’t one that will make me cry harder. I don’t think I could stand to hear if they died. Yet, I needed to know.

“Ria is fine.” Thank goodness, I blow a breath of tension out just hearing that. “Xander…”

“What? Xander what?” I start to shake; please don’t tell me he is dead. Oh, poor Ria…

My flitting and worried thoughts halt with Finn’s next words “He’s alive, one of the explosions took his leg off though. He lost a lot of blood… but he won’t die.” He explains.

My legs suddenly feel wobbly, thankful for the news, and every pent-up emotion comes rushing to the surface, bringing tears to my eyes. “I was so worried about you,” I tell Finn.

“Me? I was scared to death something would happen to you.” He hugs me tighter, and I can feel his erratic heartbeat thudding against my cheek as we take a moment to appreciate each other.

“Where are we?”

“In Riocht,” He replies, releasing me from our embrace, but catching and holding my hand as he begins to lead me back to the room I came from. “We need to get you discharged, are you feeling well enough?”

“Yeah, I’m fine, just a headache is all.”

“The doctors said you have a concussion, got hit pretty hard” I look up to see him frowning, looking distraught over my injury.

“I have no idea what happened. Ria and I climbed out of the car before they could blow it up, and the next thing I know, someone is trying to drag me away. Then I hear a roar and growl and that was it… Either, the person who grabbed me hit me. Or something flew at me, knocking me out.”

“Mathias and Queen Lamia have already sent out trackers to catch them. We don’t know who they were or why we were targeted. All we know at this point is they were a mixed group of werewolves, and we think Hunters,” I watch his face darken again, in thought. I could see he was revisiting the scene by the way his eyes flitted back and forth. “They moved faster than humans and had a strength to them; that’s why we think they are Hunters.” He concluded.

The door opens and a female doctor walks in. “Good afternoon, how are you feeling miss Artos?”

“Good, thank you.”

The doctor has me hop back on the bed and gives me a once over, shining a light in my eyes, a few questions and she smiles “It looks like you’re all set to go. The cut on your head was minor but head injuries bleed like crazy. No stitches needed.”

I give her my thanks and Finn walks me out of the infirmary where there is a car waiting. “Where to now?” I ask him, climbing into the back of the car.

“To meet Lamia and Mathias.” He climbs in next to me.

I suddenly feel overwhelmed again. Maybe a little apprehensive to meet my other brother and his mate. The woman I have heard so much about from Kian.  

I’m not sure why we took a car, we could have walked. It would have only taken us ten, maybe fifteen minutes at the most. Pretty sure Finn was babying me.

We pull up outside a two-story palace. The structure was somewhere in between a concentric castle and a lavish grand residence. I was excited and hoped I would be given the chance to look around and explore. I was fascinated and I hadn’t even gone inside yet. Just seeing all the statues that lined the outside walkway told me how elaborate and historical this place was.

The only thing I was not liking was the feeling of the thousands of echoes that haunted this land. They wouldn’t present themselves unless I called them forward but still, I could feel their very essences lurking on the grounds of Riocht. An eerie but not uncomfortable feeling.

One of the large oak doors in front of us opens, and we are greeted by the imposing figure I remember seeing last night. Mathias. I couldn’t mistake him if I tried. He looked just like our Father, with short deep dark black hair, and light scruff covering his face with Silver cosmic eyes, with a height and build that leaves any person intimidated. I look between him and Finn, and it is seriously like looking at two sides of the same coin. The same but different.

The door opens further, and I find myself peering into the most beautiful and ethereal emerald-green eyes I would ever see.

'The emerald-eyed queen.'

My mother’s words echoed in my head. Beauty and power oozed from her, but there was a kindness in her eyes along with a hint of excitement that mirrored my own. “Morgan!” She smiles at me. Tucking a strand of her blonde, black-streaked hair behind her ear.

“Your highness, Queen Lamia,” I give her a slight curtsey, and she giggles.

“None of that, you are family.” The Queen insists.

I was most surprised that she was so young, she couldn’t be any older than me. Kian and I had never discussed her age. Finn and Mathias were 28, almost 29 I believe. I wasn’t sure, we never did birthdays when I grew up and despite Finn’s promise, I still hadn’t celebrated a birthday and I had turned 24 a few months back now.

“This is Mathias, your other brother, as I am sure you are aware of. Yes, he is grumpy and no he hardly ever smiles. Except for me.” She explains, reaching up to smooth a hand over her mate’s cheeks. “I’m sorry we are meeting under these circumstances; I had hoped we would be having a grand time tonight and welcoming you.” Her face becomes forlorn, and her brows pull together “Unfortunately… We need to investigate what exactly happened early this morning and who is behind it.”

“I understand, and am truly sorry to hear about your brother King Mathias.” I turn to face him giving him an understanding look and hoping he won’t be an ass to me. He really did have an unapproachable demeanor to him. So opposite to his mate and so like Finn. 

“Hunji is back at the scene of the attack right now, he will be home soon.” Queen Lamia explains as if reading my thoughts when my eyes began to dart around searching for my wolfman. I nod in understanding. “Come, first lets me show you to your room. Finn,” she looks at my brother “I have a room set up for you in the west wing, Mathias will take you there. Morgan, you are on the south wing.”

“You can’t get lost in this palace. Just walk in a square and it will eventually lead you to where you are going,” She explains as I follow her inside and through the center of the palace.

Lamia shows me to my room and explains all the recent renovations that had been made to the place, upgrading each room and installing hot water and heat. My room was decorated in cream with soft rose gold accents. With calming and comfortable décor: A large bed, two dressers, a couch, a fireplace place, and French doors on one wall that opened out to a balcony that overlooked the forest.

“Okay so this room shares a bathroom with the room next door, so remember to lock it when you use it. Just in case.” Lamia winks at me. “Dinner will be served at 8 pm, all the parlors, rec rooms, and dining rooms are located on the north side of the building. Mathias will let Finn know where you are staying so he can come to check up on you.”

I tell her “Thank you” and assure her that I am fine and really needed to wash up and would come to find them afterward.

“Okay well, feel free to walk about. You are safe here Morgan. Your bag was unsalvageable, so I had clothes put in the closet and dresser for you already. There is a bell by the door in case you require assistance, press it and a maid will come to assist you. Or just yell, one of us shifters will hear you.” She winks and smiles before leaving the room, and casts one more glance back at me like she was hesitant to leave me alone. As if I would crumble as soon as I was by myself.

Left alone I drew a bath in the lavishly decorated bathroom. I wondered if anyone had used this room as it looked too new and pristine and then wondered who was using the room adjoining it - if anyone.

Feeling much cleaner and more like myself, I found the promised clothes in the closet and selected a deep red dress than hung to my knees and a pair of flat soft shoes. I pinned my hair up with the items I found on top of one of the dressers and went to walk out of the room to find everyone else.

“Oh!” I startled, opening the door to find Finn there with a raised hand ready to knock. He gave me a sheepish smile.

“You look beautiful, little sis,” he said draping an arm around me and leading me down the hallway.

“Not so bad yourself,” I chuckled taking in the deep violet button-up and black pair of pants he was wearing. The raised burns on his body were still visible but faded as his healing abilities kicked in.

*****

We spent some time getting to know everyone and I got to meet the triplets who won my heart over immediately. Lamia’s mother reminded me of Margarita, and I was drawn to her from the beginning, her father was just as kind and animated.

It was amazing how at ease they made me feel and not one person had mentioned our father, Orion, through dinner. And I was so happy that they hadn’t tarred me with the same brush. It didn’t seem like they even held animosity toward Finn – well, except for King Mathias, I don’t think he had accepted either of us yet, either that or he really was just a brute.

I loved meeting new people, learning new things, and talking about the things I have seen and dreamed of experiencing, yet through all the smiles and laughter, I had never felt so alone. Tobias, Mathis' second in command was missing and so was Kian. Every few minutes I found my eyes searching for him, to no avail. 

I walked outside onto one of the balconies that overlooked the large estate gardens on the north side of the place. Needing the fresh air and a moment alone.

There were too many people, too many names to remember, not that was an issue. I was too crowded, yet I still felt alone. My face hurt from smiling so much – attempting to appear like I was enjoying myself. When truly I felt miserable, if I was going to feel alone, I would rather actually be alone for it. I looked up into the night sky, The moon was bright and hung low, and all I could think about was the night of the Blood Moon and wonder where he was. 

Was Kian avoiding me? Is that why he wasn't here, because he didn't want to see me?

Every night I thought of that night. You would think my most memorable night would be the first time, but it wasn’t, because that wasn’t the night that I gave my very soul to Kian. Asena and Ashe had said the bond would fade in time. I wasn’t sure if it had faded any or not, but I knew my heart still beats in anticipation for my wolfman. I wasn’t sure if I ever wanted that feeling to go away. My yearning for him blossomed and grew every day.

The disappointment of not seeing him yet was a plague eating away at me, bringing my spirits down. That intense feeling had only grown over the months I had been away from him. Deep down I knew it was because he didn’t want me, and that notion made me feel even less excited for the future. I had to remember though, Kian and I had no future. But we would always have Trizar and the Blood moon.

A memory that would last me a lifetime, even if it was one that hindered my spirit.

I let out a shuddering breath and pulled my shawl around my shoulders tighter. The music played in the background - laughter and low chatter carried through the room and bled out into the night air.

A pair of hands from behind lifted my shawl up higher over my shoulders, I attempted to turn around at the surprised touch of large masculine hands, but paused when that deep husky voice whispered in my ear, “You’ll catch a cold out here… my little witch.”

My heart literally stopped at the sound of his voice. The feel of his warm breath fanned across my ear, causing a pleasurable shiver to run up my spine and has me almost moaning and leaning back against the warmth of his chest.

“Are you really here?” I ask him, praying this isn’t another dream.

“I’m really here Morgan,” he says spinning me around in his arms. I look up, into his golden-brown orbs, which meet mine in a hungry gaze. “I’m here for you.” He says, his voice low and seductive, the words rumbling in his chest as they mix with his wolf. “It’s always been you.”

“You won’t leave me again?” My voice is breathy and desperate. My thighs clamp together and rub in need. I’ve waited for him, would have waited forever - because it would only ever be him for me.

“I love you, Morgan,” He whispers, his gravelly voice igniting that flame of want in me, tipping me over the edge. “You are my mate; I want you to be mine. Not just now, not just while we are here but forever.”

Kian’s eyes golden-brown orbs darken with that hunger and dominating need, searching my face and trying to determine my feelings. I gulp down the lump lodged in my throat, and I feel the trickle of a tear grace my cheek. When I first met him, his eyes were so dark, black with his wolf. He was more broken than I was.

I hope he could see all love I felt for him because I couldn’t form words. He had no idea what his declaration meant to me.

His hand came up to cup my cheek and I nuzzled into it; my lids fluttering closed. I opened them only to be met by him again. His head dipped and his lips brushed against mine. “Please be mine Morgan, and will love you until the end of time. I will protect you and cherish you like no other. I thought I could live as I had – until I met you. You changed my whole being. My heart which was once cold and broken feels full when I am with you. You make me whole, Morgan. I love you.”

“Yours Kian.” I managed to say with a shaky breath. Could my vision be wrong? Could this man, my wolfman really truly love me, could we be together? Because only the gods know how truly and deeply, I love him. “I love you” I admit to him “I have been yours from the moment you showed up and saved my sorry ass.”

He chuckles, giving me one of his rare smiles that makes his eye light up. Our gazes locked as we get lost in the look of love, relishing this moment, when his lips crash down on mine.

I groan into his mouth and his tongue slips in. His hands brush down my body and squeeze my hips tightly, pulling me against him, I feel his arousal strong and sturdy against me. I do that to him – the thought excites me, and I feel a rush of heat and wetness pool between my legs. His sexy growl tells me he can scent my arousal and it turns me on even more.

“Take me to bed wolfman” I moan against him, and he wastes no time lifting me up and using his inhuman speed to bring us back to his room where he lays me down and strips me of my dress.